CareerSource Polk CEO Removed, Entire Board Dissolved, in Sweeping Reset
by James Coulter
Hours of testimony weren’t enough to save CareerSource Polk’s president and CEO and in a sweeping move, county commissioners also dissolved the agency’s entire board, citing gross mismanagement and poor performance.
At their regular meeting on Tues. Oct. 6, 2026, the Polk County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) voted 3–2 to permanently remove Stacy Campbell‑Domineck, with Martha Santiago and Bill Braswell dissenting.
In separate measures, commissioners also unanimously removed all members of the agency’s board of directors and stripped Commissioner Mike Scott of his liaison role.
CareerSource Polk is the local arm of CareerSource Florida, the statewide workforce policy and investment board that partners with the Department of Commerce and regional workforce development boards to “help connect businesses with the talented workforce and training needed to succeed and grow,” according to its website.
The actions followed an August joint letter from the Secretary of FloridaCommerce and the president and CEO of CareerSource Florida, accusing Campbell‑Domineck of “abdicating her role” and engaging in “a trend of noncooperation, questionable fiscal management, and in some cases outright deception.”
Following the letter, commissioners voted 3–2 at their Sept. 1 meeting to temporarily suspend Campbell‑Domineck, followed by another 3–2 vote on Sept. 15 to consider her permanent removal.
To assess the allegations, the county hired Canopy Management Consulting Group to conduct a management and governance review. The firm’s report validated the FloridaCommerce findings and supported Campbell‑Domineck’s removal for cause.
Furthermore, an earlier letter, sent in January, also reported that CareerSource Polk had fallen short on several primary performance accountability measures for Program Years 2023 and 2024.
Campbell‑Domineck, accompanied by her attorney Linnes Finney Jr., appeared at the meeting to defend herself. She rejected the allegations, insisting, “I have not abandoned my role.”
Her attorney, Finney Jr., called the move an “extraordinary step” and argued it was unwarranted, arguing the decision would have repercussions for his client and the county at large.
“This is not a routine personnel matter,” he said. “It is a career-ending allegation made in a public forum with consequences not only for her livelihood and reputation, but also the stability of the workforce agency.”
He said the allegations did not meet the contract’s threshold for removal with cause, claimed the process was “unfair” and “discriminatory,” and insisted that “neglect of duty” and “gross mismanagement” were overly broad accusations.
“Neglect, mismanagement, and lack of performance are conclusions; they are not facts or evidence,” Finney said, questioning whether the county could prove what Campbell‑Domineck “did or failed to do.”
Her defense presentation lasted about an hour, including testimony from at least one witness and several supportive public comments. Nevertheless, commissioners remained firm in their decision.
Only Santiago and Braswell voted against the permanent removal. Santiago said the information presented was “convoluted,” while Braswell argued that cause for termination had not been “established.”
“I am not in favor of termination with cause because I do not believe that cause has been established,” he said. “I just don’t think that’s appropriate at this time.”
Commissioner Becky Troutman countered that Campbell‑Domineck had repeatedly failed to meet the agency’s core federal performance standards.
“The ultimate responsibility of CareerSource Polk and the CEO is meeting those 18 federal standards, and we have failed to meet them year after year since 2022,” she said, warning the failures could trigger sanctions or force the county’s workforce program into another board.
Commissioner Mike Scott reiterated that the agency had performed poorly under Campbell‑Domineck’s leadership, saying the decline warranted her immediate removal.
“My opinion is not that CSP is a horrible organization,” he said. “My opinion is that it has slipped significantly over the last several years and hasn’t had the leadership to reach its potential.”
Commissioner Rick Wilson, who also supported the removal, argued that CareerSource Polk should reimburse the county for investigation and review expenses.
“Polk County is out over $200,000,” he said. “CareerSource has money in the bank, and when this is over, we need to be reimbursed. It’s costing taxpayers money, and that needs to be paid back.”
